Rent Increase - WI

[Joed3054]

Wisconsin

Quick, simple question about a rent increase situation in Wisconsin. Month to month agreement.

My Landlord dropped off a letter today (1/2/07) stating that rent will be increased by roughly 15% effective Feb. 1st.

Main questions.
- I believe the landlord is required to give 30 days notice to raise rent. By my math, 30 days takes us into February and I do not know if my landlord would be able to legally raise the rent until March.

I need clarification about whether or not the rent would be able to be increased on the 30th day (Feb 1st), or if it could not be legally raised until the 1st of the month after the 30th day after the notice is served (or if it could not be raised until AFTER the 30th day).

If it makes any difference, we are forced by our landlord to send in a certified check via the USPS that must arrive no later than the 1st of the month. Since my landlord requires that the check be received in less than 30 days, is it legal to raise our rent for Feb?

The landlord has agreed to pay the water bill. An increase in water consumption is the implied reason for the rent increase. I don't think that is relevant, but thought I'd include it just in case it is.

Just trying to save a few hundred bucks in February.

 

[FarmerJ]

Your a month to month renter so wether it was a higher water sewer bill or what ever reason the LL had for raising the rent she/ he is able to do so. Periodic agreements (Commonly referred to as a “month-to-month” lease). If your rental agreement
doesn’t specify a fixed period, then you are a periodic tenant, with the period being the time between the rent
payments. If you pay each month, this is the period of your agreement. Your right to occupy the apartment, as
well as the amount of rent, can change after any period, if you are given 28 days notice prior to the next time
rent is due. Sec. 704.01(2), Wis. Stats. this comes from >http://www.cityofmadison.com/BI/TenantLandlor3-05.pdf

 

[longneck]

in the absence of a statue explicit defining the notice required for a rent increase, the termination notice period is usually used. in wisconsin, that's 28 days: http://wis-law.com/tenant.html

 

[Joed3054]

Thanks for the quick responses. Not what I wanted to hear, but I appreciate the help anyways.